29 Oct 2013

THE PLEASURE SEEKERS.

The last book read for The What's In A Name 6 book challenge: Lost or Found (or equivalent) in the title category. Whilst not exactly 'lost' or 'found' I thought SEEKers a worthy equivalent being that it's what you might do when something is lost/before something is found. A bit of a tenuous link perhaps but hey Beth, our hostess, does encourage creativity.

THE PLEASURE SEEKERS by TISHANI DOSHI.

SOURCE: Ex-library stock. The edition I read was a Charnwood large print edition published under the auspices of THE ULVERSCROFT FOUNDATION.

It all started in August 1968 when Babo left the Patel family in Madras to fly to England and further his education .... Living in London, he'd fallen head over heels with a cream-skinned Welsh girl, Siân Jones. A mixed-up love in a topsy-turvy world - now two families will never be the same. Meet the Patel-Joneses: Babo, Siân, Mayuri and Bean, in their little house next door to the Punjab Women's Association. As the twentieth century creaks along this 'hybrid' family navigate uncharted waters: the hustle and bustle of Babo's relatives, the faraway phone-line crackle of Siân's; the perils of first love, lost innocence and old age, and the big question - what do you with the space your loved ones leave behind?
...... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Part 1: Sylvan Lodge: 1968-1974. Chapter 1: Departures and depositions of deceit): In the early hours of 20 August 1968, the morning of his son's departure, Prem Kumar Patel succumbed to a luxury he had never, in all his forty-seven years of living, experienced before: he had a dream.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 79): These were men she should have loved, but in reality, their absence or presence had played such a peripheral role in her life. This grandson, though, with all his desires - he stood at the centre of her world, and she wanted him to be released. She wanted his love for the Welsh girl to unfold like a lotus and gleam.

MY THOUGHTS: A story of love and family dramas that spans two cultures, The Pleasure Seekers is a fictionalised/reinvented account of the authors parents known in the book as Siân (Jones) and Babo.

Beautifully written, poetic and yet not what I'd describe as overly flowery.The narrative is wonderfully lyrical even if the use of phrases such as 'sha-bing, sha-bang' and  'ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom-boom-boom' though charming at first did become a bit tiresome. The use euphemisms such as Mr Whatsit and Ms Sunshine (used to describe male and female genitalia) increasingly juvenile sounding.


Ultimately not a book that managed to hold my imagination throughout. Whilst it began well by about half way through my attention began to wander, the story never quite coming together for me. Sadly The Pleasure Seekers wasn't quite the multi-generational saga I was expecting.


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10 comments:

Kelly said...

Congrats on finishing the challenge. "What's in a Name" is always such a fun one. (and I can see the link here with the title)

Sorry the book wasn't what you hoped for, though.

Lindsay said...

Well done on your challenge. I think I'd find those terms and phrases a bit irritating after a while too.

Cherie Reich said...

Congrats on finishing the challenge!

This doesn't sound like my type of book, although I do like that first line. Thanks for the review!

Suko said...

Sorry this did not live up to your expectations. Thank you for your honest review, Tracy.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Tracy,

Sorry that this book wasn't what you had hoped it would be, however I think that the link to 'What's In A Name' is creative and perfectly acceptable. I haven't taken part in this challenge for a couple of years now, although I might just succumb next year, as it was such great fun.

I love the cover art on your version of the book and when I checked out Tishani's website, I discovered that she also writes poetry, so I have just spent a fruitful few minutes reading some of it, it is excellent.

Better luck with your next book,

Yvonne

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

Sorry this one didn't work for you. I would rather the book start weak but end with a bang. Hopefully the next is better.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Sorry you didn't like this one. I think a lot of the things you mentioned being immature and repetitive would drive me crazy.

Brian Joseph said...

I tend to like character studies. This sounds like one. With that said if not handled correctly they can become terribly dull and unengaging.

I can also see how the overly cute dialog could become annoying over the course of a book.

Betty Manousos said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Betty Manousos said...

congrats on finishing the challenge!

sorry that this book wasn't what you hoped for..

as always, great review, tracy!

big hugs~
xx